Introduction In the United States, there are many states and cities that have passed laws where individuals should not use hand-held phones or text while driving, however, none of these laws actually restricts a person from using a phone while driving. The National Safety Council reported that each year an estimated of 1.6 million car crashes are due to people using their cell phones while driving (Texting and Driving Accident Statistics, 2017). One of the biggest reasons that car accidents occurs is because the driver was not paying attention to the road and the things around them. There are many things that can distract a person while they are driving, such as; using the navigation, eating, drinking, playing with the radio, talking on the phone, and even texting. In a single day, approximately 660,000 drivers habitually use their cell phone while they are driving (Texting and Driving Accident Statistics, 2017). This is why the nonprofit organization known as FocusDriven, has been so devoted and passionate about banning the use of cell phones while driving and fighting to make it be illegal and unacceptable in the eyes of the law. As an advocate, this paper is a policy proposal which includes research studies showing data that supports why cell phone use while driving should be banned and possible solutions to take the necessary steps in order to prevent drivers from becoming distracted and hopefully reducing the number of car crashes and fatalities caused by cell
Nearly 6,000 people are killed connecting to the outcome of cell phone use while driving, according to Edmunds.com (7). Texting and talking on the phone throughout the time that a person is driving can have deadly consequences, but people still don’t seem to want to give up risking their life. There are many issues that can happen while on the road related to the usage of cell phones. It is important to stop people from looking at their phones while driving, because it is extremely distracting and not safe. Even hands free devices are not as safe as they seem to be. There have to be consequences for people using their cell phones while driving in order to improve the people’s safety. According to Edmunds.com, cell phones are known as distractions everywhere in the world and have created several concerns to several countries (9).
Cell phones have become an essential part of many peoples’ lives as they are one of the main sources of communication. People are able to complete many tasks using their phones, such as making phone calls, sending and receiving e-mails, text messaging, and even snapping photos. Cell phones are not only beneficial, but they are impactful in many ways. As many positive uses there are for cell phones, cell phone usage can be undoubtedly precarious while driving. Cell phone usage while driving is many times done irresponsibly and can put the driver at risk of getting injured. In addition to the driver getting injured, innocent pedestrians could also potentially lose their lives or be crippled due to a texting person who was driving at the same time. According to The Federal Communications Commission, “over 8 people are killed and approximately 1,161 are injured daily in incidents reported as distraction-affected crashes in the United States.” Texting while driving has become the number one distraction of drivers and main cause of car crashes. These crashes could result in hundreds of thousands of people either losing their lives or experiencing life-changing injuries. Although cell phone usage is an effective way to communicate with others and to complete certain tasks, it has become problematic for drivers in recent years as it increased the risk of injury and death while driving. For these reasons, texting while driving should be illegal and punishable by law.
“Distracted driving refers to any nondriving activity that takes motorists ' attention away from the safe operation of their vehicles” (Leone). Every time a driver gets in a vehicle and decides to use a cell phone to have a conversation, either talking or texting, they put themselves and others lives in danger. The convenience a cell phone and the capabilities they offer have made them a substantial distraction and a cause of significant source of vehicle accidents and fatalities. There are three different types of distractions: visual, manual and cognitive. Cell phone use is the most dangerous distraction because it involves all three different types of distraction and plays a part in the increasing issue of distracted driving. Even
1). Texting and using a cell phone are the two most common distractions while driving (“Distracted” para. 1). It Can Wait campaign has started to stop drivers from using handheld devices (“Distracted” para. 3). Distractions affect one’s driving performance (“Distracted” para. 5). Drivers are distracted around half the time they drive (“Distracted” para. 5).15% to 25% of crashes on all levels are caused by distraction (“Distracted” para. 5). Texting increases the driving risk, even more than regular cell phone use (“Distracted” para. 5). When cops fill out crash reports, the states should keep track of them (“Distracted” para. 6). There are many distraction while driving that may cause the driver to take focus off the road (“Distracted” para. 8). Some distraction that everyone does is : changing the radio or a CD, talking to passenger, and observing the event outside the vehicle (Distracted para. 8). There are effects on telematics on driving behaviors (“Distracted” para. 9). Some say that the electronic device companies need to inform the public about the real use of these devices (“Distracted” para.
In this age of multitasking, the use of cell phones is combined with assignments like cooking, driving, babysitting, walking, doing college assignments and even eating. Whereas the use of cell phones while doing some chores might be simply annoying, the consequence of using cell phone with driving can be fatal. Recent polls by the Pew Research Center and other researchers show that about fifty to ninety percent young Americans admit using their cell phone while driving. This includes about thirty six percent who said they texted or typed something whiles driving. (Lopresti-Goodman, Rivera, & Dressel, 2012). The practice of using phone particularly texting while driving has increased the number of distracted driving accidents. When the cell phone records of people involved
Improvements in vehicle safety are a huge public health concern that impacts every individual behind the wheel of a vehicle. New technology systems developing are increasing the risk of injury in motor vehicles across the United States. Drivers are becoming more focused on the gadgets and multiple distractions in the vehicle, rather than the driving itself. Distracted driving can be considered as eating, using a phone, talking to peers, smoking, or any activity that requires a person’s attention while driving. The most prevalent distraction is the use of cell phones and electronic devices. According to James & Joseph Bernstein, “the impairments associated with using a cell phone behind the wheel are on par with those of drunk driving, and the US National Safety Council has implicated device usage in 26% of all vehicular crashes” (Bernstein & Bernstein, 2015). Distracted driving can be difficult to decipher what is considered a distraction while on the road.
The number of people of people wounded or killed in distracted driving accidents due to cell phone use. What is crazy is that everyone is aware of the danger of this cell phone use, but for many, especially young adults, the constant need to check their cell phone to respond to a text, email, call, or to use the internet, outweighs the possible consequences. Some reasons might be that they feel like they can handle both or feel like a hands-free call isn’t dangerous, but the truth is that all forms of cell phone use while driving are dangerous and should not be allowed. Since these accidents account for % of distracted driving accidents, I want to talk a little about what distracted driving is, the three main types, and how they apply to each type of cell phone use.
Nowadays, it is a common occurrence to see people messaging from their cellular devices in the midst of driving. Many drivers, across the globe, engage in the practice without contemplating about the potential detrimental effects of their actions. Notably, researches have depicted that texting while driving is one of the major causes of road accidents. As a matter of fact, accidents caused due to messaging while driving has superseded those, which are instigated by drunk drivers. Drivers are inclined to the belief that they can send some messages without negatively impacting on their driving abilities. However, studies have revealed that drivers are not as capable of multi-tasking as they believe they are. Researchers have discovered that drivers who text while driving look at the road 400 times less compared to those who do not message. After all the research it shows that texting and driving increases the risks of accidents and could even be deadly. Texting and Driving is a widespread problem that is killing Americans across the country. Nearly everyone agrees that texting and driving is dangerous. Most people do it anyway. Texting and driving falls under a category of safety risks called distracted driving. Distracted driving covers any non-driving act that keeps drivers from safely operating their vehicles. Texting and driving is particularly hazardous because it takes the driver’s attention away from driving more frequently and for longer periods of time. Texting and
Hand held devices should be made illegal while driving in all states. Distracted driving is becoming a major epidemic across America when it comes to the number of accidents and fatalities that attributes to it. What exactly is distracting driving? It is any activity that would divert the attention of the driver away from the task at hand, which is driving. It could be as simple as changing the radio station, eating, grooming, or in this case texting or using your hand held device. Regulations regarding the use of cell phones while driving should be standardized across the United States. The number of accidents that occur on a daily basis by people who are using their hand held devices while driving are not paying attention
In a society where everybody uses a cell phone day and night; distracted driving is becoming an increasingly prominent problem. Affecting teens and adults, distracted driving lowers everybody’s ability to drive significantly. Surprisingly, teens are affected the most compared to the rest of society through a shorter attention span and an emotional attachment to their phones. Although many believe that there has been technology to aid teen drivers in avoiding phone usage while driving, this technology doesn’t allow the many distractions of a phones, eating, and utilizing hands free devices in the car to dissipate.
Texting while driving has become a persistent issue in society because of new technologies that make picking up a phone convenient, but also dangerous. Many teens as well as adults have formed a habit of using their cell phones while driving their vehicles. The act of composing, sending or reading a text message interrupts a person’s attention while driving which causes visual, cognitive, and manual distractions. Texting while driving may seem harmless, however it is responsible for serious injuries and even fatalities. Because texting while driving has become an epidemic, society has been forced to come up with solutions which could correct this issue.
As a result of millions of injuries and deaths among the people of our country, cell phone use, and more specifically texting while driving, has become a big issue. Since texting and driving is a big issue, there are active and upcoming ways to stop it. Throughout the recent years, there have been hundreds of campaigns as well as ads on television, and in magazines to convince people to stop the use of cell phones while driving. Technology in cars is also being built to address the issue of texting and driving behind the wheel. There needs to be steps taken to address the rising number of cell phone related accidents, and if these don’t adequately help the situation, then there needs to be law enforcement set up to keep people off of
Over the past decade, we have seen an increase in a number of car accidents. Innocent lives have been taken away, because of reckless driving by humans due to the misconception of multitasking. To prevent these acts of violence, many states have passed laws that inhibit drivers from using a cellular device. To bring awareness of this impulsive act numerous cell phone providers and advocates have started campaigns such as “it can wait” and “stop text stop wrecks”. Yet, there are still people who take careless action that jeopardize other’s life. Cell phone use is an epidemic problem that is dangerous and unlawful. Recent studies show cell phone use while driving has much greater effect than driving intoxicated.
Although some people say believe that cell phones are good in case of an emergency, the implementation of cell phones is distracting drivers and leading to increases in crash percentages, elevates the percentage of teen deaths and influxes in insurance rates of teen drivers. Distracted driving is a growing problem in today's society. It causes countless deaths every year. This problem has progressed over the years due to the progress in mobile devices. The advance of cell phones has made distracted driving even more of a problem. Texting and driving is a very common problem because of the progression of cell phones. Many people think that five seconds is the minimal amount of time that drivers take away from the road when they are trying to
Cell phones has become a part of everyday life for many people all around the world. Most of the population has a cellphone to do daily operations. However, according to the NHTSA’s 2014 National Survey on Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors, there are almost 95% of drivers who use their cell phones while driving. This numbers had been increasing in the risk of a crash with the performance of many secondary tasks, including texting and dialing cell phones. Due to the lack of concentration of the driver who is texting and/or talking while driving, which causes lower reaction time, the usage of a cell phone while driving should be banned to avoid car accidents.